Can the “value” boats add more value?
Cheap boats are easy to make. But an entry-level boat that loads up amenities while holding the price down to $20,000 or less that’s hard. Among the models jockeying with the likes of Bayliner and Glastron, who make runabouts with MSRPs in the teens, are the new Azure 188 and the Ebbtide 180, 190 and 200. The Azure stands out with Euro styling and upholstery accents, while Ebbtide invested in redesigned interiors and all stainless-steel hardware and still keeps base MSRPs from $17,500 to $25,400. Larson kept its 180 Sport under $16,000, but managed to include a CD player, suspension bucket seating and a custom trailer. Will boats feature every color of the rainbow? Yep. Caravelle alone covers red, yellow, blue and purple to the extreme. We’ve seen the Interceptor 232 Bowrider saturated in the new “solid red,” meaning it’s not just the exterior of the hull and deck that get color, but the swim platform, the interior fiberglass, the dash pods, the steering wheel and the vinyl accents all
